As a duck hunter, Bart Tegen, has put up wood duck boxes for years.
“Just knowing that, in northern Wisconsin, we don't have a lot of migrating waterfowls, so we need to produce our own,” said Tegen.
About five years ago, after attending a Wisconsin Waterfowl Association banquet, Tegen decided to take on a larger role in created wood duck habitat.
He offered to take over the WWA’s wood duck box program after the previous person running it passed away.
“I helped in the past a little and I just kind of have a wood background, so I thought this would be a good area for me to volunteer,” said Tegen.
Tegen coordinates the building of wood duck boxes and build your own kits with McNaughton Correctional Facility, which makes them in their woodshop.
He then stores them and ships them out when orders come in.
“We recently got about 500 pieces. I think we got those around in January,” said Tegen. “This was a big load that was, like, seven cords of logs turned into 500 duck houses.”
Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Executive Director Bruce Ross says this work is essential for the conservation of ducks in the state.
“Wood ducks are cavity nesters, and as are other birds like hooded mergansers and screech owls, and there are fewer cavities available in the woods because of development or other reasons,” said Ross. “This is a way to supplement those cavities and create nesting opportunities for birds that would otherwise not be able to find nesting cavities.”
The WWA named Tegen their first Conservationist of the Year for this work.
Ross says Tegen’s work continuing and expanding the wood duck program has made it easier to put more wood duck ducklings on the ground.
“Bart, I think of him as the ‘I'm just going to get it done guy’ or, you know, sometimes he's the ‘easy button,’” said Ross. “If there's a project that he's interested in and has the available time, talking with him and getting him the resources he needs, he just takes care of it.”
Tegen says he was shocked to learn he was named their Conservationist of the Year, but definitely appreciated the acknowledgement.
“I guess it made me feel good that I'm the first one to get it by just kind of doing volunteer work that I enjoy,” said Tegen.
You can learn more about the Wood Duck Box program on the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association website.
Editor's note: Bart Tegen is the husband of WXPR’s Finance Director.
